Relasting machine



5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct 15, 1946. A. PERRI 7 2,409,447

RE-YLASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 19,45 5, Sheets-Sheet 3- INVENTOR. 4M

Patented Oct. 15, 1946 RELASTING MACHINE Angelo Perri, Groveland, Mass,assignor to Allied Shoe Machinery Corn, Haverhill, Mass, a corporationof Massachusetts Application January 13, 1945, Serial No. 572,620

11 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for inserting lasts in shoes. Moreparticularly it relates to a machine for inserting a last in a shoewhich previously has been lasted and which has been removed from thelast on which it was lasted.

Frequently it is necessary or desirable to remove from its last a shoein process of manufacture after its upper has been lastedandsubsequently to re-insert a last therein preparatory to performingsome later operation thereon, such as applying the heel, for example.Although conventional lasts have their fore and aft sections hingedtogether so that a last may be broken at its hinge to facilitate itsinsertion in and removal from a shoe, it is difficult to re-insert alast in a previously lasted shoe because the lasting operationnecessarily conforms the shoe upper preciselyv to the last curvaturesand, having removed the last, its re-insertion involves forcing it intoa cavity which, due to some resiliency in the lasted upper material,usually is smaller than the last. In any event the fit is so tight thatconsiderable force is required; to get a last back into a shoesubsequent to a removal of the last upon which the shoe initially wasformed.

It is an object of my present invention to provide mechanism for quicklyand effectively reinserting a last in an alreadylasted shoe. I provide alow cost treadle operated press in which a plunger is spring-actuated inresponse to depressing of a treadle to forcibly engage the rear portionof a lasted shoewhose forepart has been placed on a last while thelatter is broken at its hinge. The last is unyieldingly supported in thepast of the plunger, and the stroke of the plunger forces the rearportion of the shoe over the last and simultaneously snaps the last toits extended condition. l

Another object is to provide means for resetting the plunger againsttheresilience of its actuating springs. According to the invention,depression of a treadle after a shoe has been relasted elevates the lastwith the shoe thereon to force the plunger upward until a latch engagesand maintains the plunger in elevated set condition ready for anotherre-lasting work stroke.

Afurther feature resides in the pr ovision of a shoe horn facilitatingmovementofthe rear portion of'a shoe onto a last in response to a strokeof the plunger, and the shoe horn conveniently is withdrawn from there-lasted shoe during the operation of re-setting the plungerw Stillanother object is to provide for re-lasting shoes having only a strapextending around the rear part of the upper. A notched strap-engag-Figure 8 is a perspective of the bell cranklever ing member isremovably, and yieldingly carried on the plunger for forcing the strapover the last as the plunger descends, the strap-engaging memberconveniently and effectively being supported between coacting springs ofthe plunger.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve upon priorre-lasting machines and mechanisms.

In the accompanyingv drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a re-lasting" machine embodying featuresof my invention;

Figure 2 is an elevationof the upper part of v the machine of Figure 1,looking in the direction of the arrows on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lower part of the machine ofFigure 1, online 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation illustrate ing the plunger after ithas descended into engagement with a shoe, and showingthe last extendedand the shoe re-lasted; f v

Figure 5 is a view similarto Figure 4 but with the last. elevated toreset the plunger;

Figure 6 is a fragmentaryelevation showing a strap type upper re-lastedwith the aid of adepending strap-engaging member which is shown indotted outline in Figure 2;

Figure '7 is a rear face view of the shoe horn and its supportinglevers; and

for operating the latch releasing plate.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of my invention asthereinrepresented,- has a base.

Hi from which rises the vertical hollow standard l2.

veniently may have securedthereto in any suit-. able manner the Worktable sections 14.

A last supporting shaft 16 extends vertically and slidably withinstandard 12 and upward through plate l3 to a substantial height abovethe work table, its upper end being reduced as at I8 for engaging in theusual socket of a last. 20,

for mounting the last on the shaft l6. The lower end of shaft-IE isconnected by link 22 to bearing portion 34, through which the shaft l5Carried at the upper end ofstandard I 2 is the horizontally disposedp1ate. l3' which conslidably extends, and the vertically aligned upperbearing portion 36 wherein is slidably mounted the plunger shaft 38having the head 40 secured to its lower end. Shaft 38 has a keyway 42therein in which set screw 44 in bearing portion 36 engages, to preventrotation of the shaft while permitting vertical movements: thereof.Acollar 46 is slidably keyed on plunger shaft 38 with a relatively heavycoil spring 48 on the shaft and engaging between the fixed bearingportion 36 of yoke 32 and the upper side of collar 46. A relativelyweaker coil spring 56 on shaft 33 engages between the lower side ofcollar 46 and the plunger head 46.

The upper end of plunger shaft 38 has adjustably threaded thereon afinger nut 52 which may be adjusted along the threadedupper end ofplunger shaft 38 to vary the stroke of the plunger which normally isheld elevated by the latch lever 54. As represented,.the latch lever 54is pivotally suspend'ed'from a collar 56 which is in turn suspended'fromthe finger nut 52 by means of hook elements58 loosely engaging ingroove60 of' the finger nut. Collar 56 is slidably engaged around shaft 38 andis held against'rotation thereon We set screw 62 engaging in keyway42'oftheshaft. Fig. 2 shows latch 54' engaged with the bearing portion36 and acting as a strut maintaining plunger 38, 46. inelevated positionagainst the resiliency'of'both springs*48,,56. Whenthe latch isdisengaged, by means to be described, the plungeris snapped downwardinto forcible engagement' with a shoe on last 26, as shown in Fig. 4.,

The means fordisengaginglatch 54 comprises a forked plate 64 whoseforked end rests on the top of bearing portion 36 of yoke 32, straddlingshaft 38,v and whose other; end is pivotally-connected at 66 to. thelong arm 68' of bell crank lever I which is pivotally mounted at "I2 onyoke 32.

under which engages'the upper end of an actuating.arm.'IB which iscarried on the actuating, shaft 80. whose lower" end is connected to asecond treadle'lever 82 pivotallymounted' at a mid-location alongit atthe pivot-26. The-forwardlyprojecting-pedal part 83 of this treadle iselevated a little above the pedal 25 asshown in Fig. 3', and overlies ita little shown in Fig; 1.

Referring to Fig. 2; it will be seen that the actuating-arm 18" isindirectlysupported on actuating shaft 80' by being-pivotally mounted"at 84 onone. of a spaced pair oflinks' 86, 88 which arepivotallyconnected at 90, 92 to the headpiece 94 on the upper end ofactuating shaft 86. A

short link 96 connects the upper ends of theselinks and has 'a loweredge 98*for engaging from abovethe pin 161 which projects between thespaced links 8638' and which is engaged from below by the upper end ofactuatingarm 18' as previouslydescribed. The pivoted lower end ofthegactuating arm has a projecting foot I06 thereon; and; head: piece-64has the chambered boss I02 for-seating one end'of'a coil'springI64'whose otherend' bears against foot" I00 tendingto rotate actuatingarm I8, clockwise and thus tending tomaintain its upper end, which hasslightlyinclined curvature as'at I9, pressed against pin I61 AsetscrewrIOG permits adjustment of the tension ofspring I64; This linkconstruction at the upper endof actuating shaft 80 provides flexibilityin its connection with pin I6.

It will be obvious-that, with the construction shown and described; anupward movement of The shorter. arm I4 of the bell crank leverhas a pin16 projecting'therefrom. at one" side,

actuating shaft 80 and the carried actuatin arm I8 will causecounter-clockwise movement of bell crank I0 with an accompanyingmovement of plate 64 to the left in Fig. 2. Upon a predeterminedmovement of plate 64 a pair of projecting pins I08 on latch '54 areengaged and the latch swung to unlatched position, immediately uponwhich the springs 48, 56 snap the plunger 36, 46 downward into forcibleengagement with a shoe onlast 2!], as seen in Fig. 4.

As herein shown, the plate 64 has a pair of arms III), .2 pivotallymounted on its top side as at H4, H6, with a spring II8 urging the armstogether., However, aivertically projecting part I 26 of. thev plateintervenes between the arms adjacent their pivots and limits theirmovement toward each other so that they normally extend in. spacedparallelism as seen in Fig. 1. When the plate 64 moves to the left, aspreviously described, it is the ends of arms H6, H2 that engage thelatch pins 566 and, after the plunger has descended, the arms, on'thereturn stroke of plate 64, can yield to get past the part 56 on shaft 38which will have dropped between them. It should be understood, however,that the plate 6'4'itself maybe so' shaped that it directly may engageand release the latch 54.

The tight fit of a pre-lasted' shoe which is'to be'relasted requires ashoe born to get the'rear part of the sho on the last. I'provide asuitable shoe horn I22 pivoted'at I24 at the upper ends of a pair oflinks I26- whose lower ends are pivoted at I28 on the yoke 32. The hornhas a counter-weight I thereon tending to swing the horn clockwise aboutits' pivot I24 and, in conjunction with the weight of the horn and thelinks I26; tending to rotate the links clockwise about'their pivot I28.A stop I32 on the-yoke- 32 constitutes an abutment against'whichcounter-weight I36 engages upon gravitational clockwise swinging thereofwhen the horn is disen gaged from a shoe; The horn is adapted for manualengagement in a shoebetween' the back of the shoe andthe last 20preliminarily'to operation of 'the-plunger'forforcing a shoe onto thelast.

In the operation of" my improved Ice-lasting machine, the operatorstands at the front of the machine as seen in plan' in Fig; 1, besidethe I pedals 25, 83'. He or she, with the right hand,

placesa last 20; broken at'it's' hinge and having a shoe on itsforepart, on thereduced' upper end I8 of'shaft I 6. With the left hand,the shoe liorn- I 22'maybe insertedin place; as'indicated' in'F'i'g'. 2.During'this' operation ofinserting a 50. The'forcible impingement ofplunger head against the rear' part of the shoe-forces it down the shoehorn I22 and snaps thelast to extended position'. A further depressionof pedal 83 engages pedal 25 so' that the latter is depressed'to elevatethe last with the shoethereonthereby to causewith'drawalbf theshoe horn.

Duringthiselevation of-the last 20, the incidental further upward travelofact'uating shaft 86 causes" the end of actuating arm: I8 to ride I011' the-pin I6;- the arm swingingalittle counter clockwise against theresilience of spring I04. Hence, the platefl64 andltsarms H0, H2 arefreed for return to the-right in Fig. 2. Also, as the last 2|] iselevated, the plunger 38, 40 is forced upward against the resilience ofsprings 48, 50 and the latch 54 ultimately drops by gravity intolatching engagement with upper bearing part 36 of the yoke 32, to re-setthe device. for a similar procedure on the next shoe.

When the pedal 83 is released, the shafts I 6 and 80, with their carriedparts, drop by gravity back to their positions of Fig. 2, the shoe hornI22 having meanwhile droppedby gravity to its dotted position of Fig. 2.The last with a shoe thereon may then be removed and another inserted toreceive similar treatment.

It is a feature of the invention that provision is made for re-lastingshoes of the open back type which have only a strap part for engagingaround the back of a foot. Such a shoe is represtrap part'I34 to forcethe' strap over the shoe horn and the last as the plunger 38, 40 snapsdownward on its working stroke. As the last is elevated for resettingthe plunger, as previously described, the shoe horn iswithdrawn as inthe previously described case, the finger I36 yielding as may benecessary so as not to interfere with movements of the parts.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that I have provided arelatively low cost re-lasting machine which is extremely efilcient andeffective and which requires a minimum of skill to operate.

I claim as my invention:

1. A re-lasting machine comprising a support for a last, a plungermounted for movement between an inactive position and a position inwhich it engages a shoe partially engaged over a last on said support,spring means biasing the plunger to its said shoe-engaging position,latch means for releasably holding the plunger in its said inactiveposition, means for releasing said latch means thereby to cause a singleforcible snap movement of the plunger to its said shoeengaging positionfor completing the engagement of the shoe over the last, and means formoving the last support in opposition to the said spring means biasingthe plunger thereby to restore the plunger to its said inactiveposition.

2. A re-lasting machine comprising a support for a last, a plungermounted for movement between an inactive position and a position inwhich it engages a shoe partially engaged over a last on said support,means biasing the plunger to its said shoe-engaging position, releasablemeans for holding the plunger in its said inactive position against thesaid bias, treadle-actuated means for releasing said holding meansthereby to cause a single forcible snap movement of the plunger to itssaid shoe-engaging position for completing the engagement of the shoeover the last, and treadle-actuated means for moving the last support inopposition to the said plunger biasing means for restoring the plungerto its said inactive position.

3. A re-lasting machine comprising a support gagement of the shoe overthe last, and means for elevating said support for a last against thesaid bias of the plunger to restore the plunger to its said inactiveposition.

4. A re-lasting machine comprising a support for a last, a plungermounted for movement between an inactive position and a position inwhich it engages a shoe partially engaged over a last on said support,means biasing the plunger to its said shoe-engaging position, releasablemeans for holding the plunger in itssaid inactive position against thesaidbias, treadle-actuated means for releasing said holding meansthereby to cause forcible snap movement of the plunger to its saidshoe-engaging position for completing the engagement of the shoe overthe last, and treadle-actuated means for elevating said support for alast and the plunger engaging the shoe, to restore the plunger to itssaid inactive position.

5. A re-lasting machine comprising a support for a last, a plungermounted for movement between an inactive position and a position inwhich it engages a shoe partially engaged over a last on said support,means biasing the plungerto its said shoe-engagingposition, a latchmovable by gravity into position to latch the plunger in its saidinactive position, a latch-actuating plate, and means for moving saidplate into releasing engagement with said latch, thereby to causeforcible snap movement of the plunger from its inactive to itsshoe-engaging position for completing the engagement of the shoe overthe last.

6. A re-lasting machine comprising a support for a last, a plungermounted for movement between an inactive position and a position inwhich it engages a shoe partially engaged over a last on said support,means biasing the plunger to its said shoe-engaging position, releasablemeans for holding the plunger in its said inactive position against thesaid bias, a plate slidably mounted adjacent said holding means andmovable into releasing engagement with said holding means, a pivotedlever operatively connected to said plate, a treadle, and connectionsbetween said lever and said treadle whereby said holding means isreleasable by depression of the treadle for driving the shoe intocompletely engaged condition over the last.

7. In a re-lasting machine having a support for a last and a plungeroperable to and from a position where it engages a shoe partiallyengaged over a last on said support for completing the engagement of theshoe over the last, the combination therewith of a shoe horn insertiblebetween the rear part of a shoe and the last on which the shoe is to bere-lasted for facilitating movement of the shoe onto the last inresponse to an operation of said plunger, means for holding said shoehorn stationary in said inserted position, and means for elevating thesupport for a last following a re-lasting operation of the plunger,thereby to effect withdrawal of the shoe horn from the re-lasted shoeand to restore the plunger for a subsequent re-lastin operation thereof.

8'. In a-- re-lasting= machine having; a: support for a last and.a-plunger. biased toward: a last on said support and; releasably" heldin an inactive position against said bias; the combinationtherewith ofmeans. for releasing said. plungencomprising a pin-carryinglever pivotedon a: fixed support, a swingable arm having its free end engaged againstthe'pin of saidleVer means. for moving said swingable arm bodily therebyto rock said lever; means connected with said. lever whereby a saidrocking, thereof releases said plunger; and-means whereby saidswingablearm moves: out of: engagement with said: pin following a predeterminedmovement of said swingable arm.-

9. A re-lasting machine comprising a-support for a last, a plungerspring-biased in direction toward said support; meansfor. releasablymaintaining. said plunger in an. inactive position against'the saidspring bias, ashoe horn swingably mounted ona fixedpivot and insertiblein a shoewhich is to be rel-lasted, means forz-releasing said plungerfor. aspring 'actuatedrelasting.engagement-thereof with a shoe on arlastmounted. on-said-support, and means for elevating -said:support forrestoringthe plunger to its inactive position and for simultaneouslywithdrawing the 'shoehorn fromthe re-lasted shoe.

10'. A- re-lasting machine comprising a support for a last, a supportfor a. plunger, aplunger mounted for movement in the plunger supportindirections toward and from said'support for 'a last; a' relativelystrongcoil. spring and a relatively weak coillspring: both urging saidplunger in direction toward the: support for a last, a collar slidablymounted on the plunger between the two said:springs; a finger pivotallydepending; from said collarr'andswingable by gravity, into engagementwith thebackof; a last onsaid support for a last, said-finger. having ashoulder thereon for engaging; behind astrap of a-shoe upper, meansforreleasably holding the plunger inv an inactive: position against theresilience. of said springs, means forreleasing said holding meansthereby to cause a re-lastingactuation of the plunger and a simultaneousyielding move.- mentof said finger to force said:strap of upper over:the.- rear part of the last,- and means. for elevating the: support for.a. last initially com,- pressingthelighter springto release the fingerfrom strap-engagement and ult-imately'compressingthesstronger spring forrestoringthe plunger to its inactive; position.

11. A re-lasting-machine comprising-asupport for, a last,.aplungermovablebetween. an inactive position and-.a re-lasting positionandbiased toward the. latter position, a latch for maintaining theplunger initsinactive position against the said-bias; a latch-releasingmember, a treadle, and connections between the treadle and said memberwhereby an initial. depression of said treadle releases. said latchthereby to causev arelasting actuation of the plunger, a second treadlein. the path of movement of thefirst. treadle whereby the second treadleis: depressed by thev first treadle following a predetermined initialmovement of the latter, and connections between the second treadleandthe support for a last whereby thesaid support isielevated bydepression'of the second'treadle, thereby to restore the plunger to itsinactive position following a re-lasting: actuation thereof.

ANGELO PERRI.

